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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412505">hearts &amp; hands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nights/pseuds/nights'>nights</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Multi, Protective Suki (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Sickfic, Southern Water Tribe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:28:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nights/pseuds/nights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko does his best to give Sokka more heat, but he still shivers, and after a while he groans and pulls another fur over his feet. Suki crawls over to the two of them, laying the back of her hand on Sokka’s forehead.</p><p>“Sokka, I think you might have a fever.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka/Suki/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>241</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>hearts &amp; hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have Suzukka brainrot.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">The door slams open, letting in a gust of freezing air, and Sokka stumbles in clutching a bundle of firewood in his arms.</p><p class="p1">“Agh, close the door!” Suki yells.</p><p class="p1">“Well, duh!” Sokka leans up against the door to shut it, locking it tight. The wind outside howls, frustrated that it can’t come inside the warm cottage, too.</p><p class="p1">Zuko pulls the furs tighter around him and whines, “This blizzard has been going for days. I’m freezing <em>all the time</em>. I don’t know how you live like this, Sokka.”</p><p class="p1">“Why don’t you warm yourself up, sparky?” Sokka says, dropping the firewood in the corner. Their stash had run low, and Sokka had lost the game of water-earth-fire-air to decide who braved the cold for more.</p><p class="p1">“It tires me out,” Zuko grumbles, and Suki snuggles closer, poking his cheek.</p><p class="p1">“You’re just being a big baby,” she says, and plants a kiss on him when he tries to squirm away.</p><p class="p1">“Poor wittle Fire Lord, can’t even handle a wittle blizzard,” Sokka sing-songs, kicking off his snowy boots.</p><p class="p1">“Cut it out guys.” Zuko’s voice is grumpy, but Suki’s peck had put a little smile onto his face.</p><p class="p1">“You know we just like to give you a hard time.” Suki’s eyes are as warm as the fire.</p><p class="p1">Zuko grumbles something under his breath, but leans against her anyway, letting her brush his hair out of his face.</p><p class="p1">Sokka sticks another log into the fire, sending flames and sparks billowing up toward the vent in the roof. It’s a viciously cold morning, and the three of them have struggled to get the cottage warmed up after the freezing night, even with a firebender at their disposal. Zuko slips a hand out from his cocoon of furs, giving the fire a little puff of bending to keep it crackling along. The Southern Water Tribe is chilly on a good day, and the last few days had been especially frigid.</p><p class="p1">They’ve already had breakfast, so Zuko rummages through his luggage for his Pai Sho board, a smaller one Iroh made him to travel with.</p><p class="p1">“Ah, so you’re brave enough for a rematch,” Suki says, grinning.</p><p class="p1">“Last time you were sneaky! I know your tricks now.” Zuko pulls out the set. “And I’ve been practicing with Uncle.”</p><p class="p1">“I beat Iroh, and I’ll beat you, too,” Suki declares.</p><p class="p1">Zuko clears a spot among their puddle of furs and blankets, setting the board between him and Suki. Sokka rolls around, flipping over to prop his chin up on his hands.</p><p class="p1">“I love you, Zuko, but my bet is on Suki.” Sokka looks up at Zuko with mischievous eyes.</p><p class="p1">Zuko scoffs. “You don’t have any faith in me?”</p><p class="p1">“Against her? No.”</p><p class="p1">Suki lets out a peal of laughter. “Zuko, I’ll be generous and let you go first.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko places a tile, and Suki places her tile immediately after. Zuko goes again, brow furrowing. Sokka watches them go back and forth, Suki focusing intently on the board. Zuko always takes forever to deliberate, looking from the board to Suki’s smile and back again. <em>She seems suspiciously pleased, </em>Zuko worries.</p><p class="p1">Sokka scooches over, wriggling so that his head was safely in Suki’s lap — knocking over her stack of unused tiles in the process.</p><p class="p1">“Sokka,” she complains, but lets him stay.</p><p class="p1">Sokka pulls a blanket over himself and dozes, eyelids drooping as he watches Zuko fret over his next play. Suki’s hand comes to pet at his hair, and then it’s hopeless to try to stay awake; he falls asleep there, listening to Zuko and Suki’s quiet bickering.</p><p class="p1">Zuko groans, watching Suki set down another tile, the one that would seal his fate. He was getting his ass handed to him, again. It would be humiliating, if it wasn’t for Suki’s pretty smile. <em>Sokka’s really passed out cold, </em>Zuko thinks, noticing that Sokka’s mouth had fallen open, that he was snoring softly on Suki’s leg.</p><p class="p1">Zuko points to Sokka, smiling, and Suki looks down, hand stilling on Sokka’s head. She pulls the blanket a little further over him.</p><p class="p1">“Take your turn,” Suki whispers, and Zuko places another tile that he thinks should interfere with her plans. He’s right, he knows it when Suki’s brow tenses and she pauses, considering the board carefully.</p><p class="p1">She shifts, leaning forward to place a tile, and Sokka half-wakes, shifting, grumbling.</p><p class="p1">“If you wanna take a proper nap, why don’t you go to bed?” Suki suggests, hushed.</p><p class="p1">“Nah,” Sokka says, curling up again.</p><p class="p1">The game passes slowly, Zuko hanging on as long as he can, but eventually, inevitably, Suki claims victory.</p><p class="p1">“Ah, I win again.” Suki’s smug.</p><p class="p1">“Yeah, fine. You won, fair and square. Doesn’t matter, I’ll get you eventually.” Zuko crosses his arms, trying not to feel <em>too </em>put out. It’s just a board game, and he isn’t a child, but it still stings a little.</p><p class="p1">Suki moves, waking Sokka again, and this time he sits up, rubbing at the corners of his eyes.</p><p class="p1">“Ugh, did Suki win?”</p><p class="p1">“Yeah,” Zuko grumbles, and Sokka chuckles.</p><p class="p1">“It’s okay, sparky. You’re good at other things.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m good at Pai Sho! Suki’s just gotten lucky.” Zuko wrinkles his nose, but he’s smiling, and Suki gathers the tiles with a laugh.</p><p class="p1">“Whatever you say.” Suki leans over to give Zuko a kiss on the forehead. “Loser.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko scoffs, but smiles and helps Suki clean up the board anyways.</p><p class="p1">“Blech, that nap made me feel weird,” Sokka says, shoulders bunching up. “It’s so damn cold.”</p><p class="p1">“Hm, c’mere then.” Zuko opens his arms. “Trust me, I’m a firebender.”</p><p class="p1">Sokka rolls his eyes, but he goes, letting Zuko pull him in. Zuko wraps a fur around the both of them, taking Sokka’s hands in his, letting Sokka lean his head on his chest. Zuko lets a little fire simmer under his palms, just enough to keep them toasty.</p><p class="p1">“Aah, that’s nice.” Sokka curls in, coughing a little.</p><p class="p1">“It’s my specialty.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko does his best to give Sokka more heat, but he still shivers, and after a while he groans and pulls another fur over his feet. Suki crawls over to the two of them, laying the back of her hand on Sokka’s forehead.</p><p class="p1">“Sokka, I think you might have a fever.”</p><p class="p1">“Nah. ‘M just cold. There’s a blizzard, for crying out loud.” Sokka straightens a little, as if to show he’s <em>just fine, thank you</em>, but then he coughs into the crook of his elbow, and that seals the deal.</p><p class="p1">Suki gets that resolved look on her face, just like the one she had while she was beating Zuko at Pai Sho, and rises to her feet.</p><p class="p1">“Stop acting tough, you’re sick. I’ll make us some soup.”</p><p class="p1">“You don’t have to do —” Sokka starts, and then his words dissolve into a coughing fit. He shivers again, and Zuko pulls him closer. Sokka presses back at Zuko gently, shaking his head. “No, don’t wanna get you sick, too.”</p><p class="p1">“So you admit you’re sick,” Suki says, back turned as she pulls ingredients down from shelves. Sokka gives an exasperated sigh.</p><p class="p1">“Sokka, you’re shivering.” He’s shaking like a leaf, and when Zuko presses his own hand to Sokka’s forehead, it’s searing hot.</p><p class="p1">It doesn’t take much convincing. When Zuko pulls the both of them back onto the cushions, tugging blankets and furs around them, Sokka goes easily, and when Zuko heats his skin up again, Sokka tucks his head against Zuko’s chest and sighs, content. Sokka’s trembling subsides a little, now that Zuko’s got them in a fluffy, firebender-powered cocoon.</p><p class="p1">The wind goes on howling, and Suki gets the soup bubbling, cooking a bone broth with some meat and dried root vegetables.</p><p class="p1">“What’re you making?” Sokka mumbles. “Smells good.”</p><p class="p1">“I dunno,” Suki says lightly, stirring, glancing over at them. “Threw some things together. Some noodles. It’ll make you feel better.”</p><p class="p1">“I trust you.” Sokka is murmuring into the fabric of Zuko’s shirt, eyes closed. “Ugh, it’s getting worse.”</p><p class="p1">“Do you have any medicine?” Zuko asks him softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Sokka’s face.</p><p class="p1">“Mmhmm, think so. The box.”</p><p class="p1">“What box?” Zuko tucks a finger under Sokka’s chin, and Sokka looks up at Zuko blearily.</p><p class="p1">“Hm… wooden… ’s on the shelves.”</p><p class="p1">Suki rustles through the shelves again, and pulls out a stout wooden box with a latch.</p><p class="p1">“Here,” she says, “You’ve got some white willow. How does tea sound, Sokka?”</p><p class="p1">“Sounds super,” Sokka deadpans. He burrows his nose into Zuko’s shoulder again.</p><p class="p1">Zuko lets Sokka doze, focusing on his own breathing to let that warmth stay just under his skin. Sokka’s coughing gets worse, and Zuko’s sure to get sick later, but he doesn’t care, because Sokka’s stopped shivering. Sokka’s eyelids crack open a little, and he muffles a small cough before looking up at Zuko.</p><p class="p1">“Feel disgusting,” Sokka whines, and Zuko tuts.</p><p class="p1">“Sorry, honey. I know.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re nice and warm, though.” Sokka pats Zuko’s chest. “I like it.”</p><p class="p1">“Mm, good.”</p><p class="p1">Suki kneels next to them. “Here, sit up. I made you tea.” Sokka rises just enough to take a sip of the cup Suki offers him, and then she sets a tray with his cup and a teapot next to their mass of blankets. “White willow and ginger. Drink the whole pot.”</p><p class="p1">“Yes, ma’am,” Sokka says, voice weak and scratchy.</p><p class="p1">He takes another sip before falling back into the furs, tucking his shivering hands close to Zuko’s chest. Suki focuses on the soup again, stirring gently. A particularly loud gust rattles the front door, and Sokka curls in closer.</p><p class="p1">“We’ve got you,” Zuko whispers, and Sokka hums in response.</p><p class="p1">Suki taps off her spoon, setting it aside, and then settles next to them with her legs crossed. She tilts her head, feeling Sokka’s forehead again, and tucks his hair back.</p><p class="p1">“You caught a cold out in that storm,” Suki says softly, and Sokka groans.</p><p class="p1">“Someone had to go get the firewood.” He punctuates the sentence with a cough, covering it in his elbow.</p><p class="p1">“Shush. Here, have some more tea.” Suki holds out the cup, and Sokka grumbles.</p><p class="p1">“You guys don’t have to baby me.”</p><p class="p1">“Will you just let us take care of you?” Zuko chides. “We love you.”</p><p class="p1">“Hmph.”</p><p class="p1">Still, Sokka finishes the cup of tea, and lets Suki run her fingers through his hair. Zuko lays his head back, watching Sokka’s breathing. He notices a flush in Sokka’s cheeks, a rare sight — <em>I guess a fever is what it takes,</em> Zuko thinks, and presses his lips to Sokka’s cheekbone. Sokka groans, opening his eyes, looking between the two of them.</p><p class="p1">“You guys’re too nice to me,” he grates out, voice getting rougher.</p><p class="p1">“We’re nice to you exactly the right amount,” Suki says matter-of-factly, and peeks at the soup. “I think it’s ready.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko manages to get them into a sitting position, although still tangled up in furs. The concoction Suki serves them is delicious, a rich, salty soup with just enough kick to tickle Zuko’s nose.</p><p class="p1">“You’re a soupbender,” Sokka says through a mouthful of noodles. “I’m dating two benders. A firebender and a soupbender.”</p><p class="p1">“It really is good.” Zuko chases a morsel of meat with his spoon. “Thanks, Suki.”</p><p class="p1">Suki smiles. “Why, thank you. I’m glad you like it.”</p><p class="p1">They’re silent after that, mouths too full of noodles, and then Zuko and Sokka curl up again, bellies full. Suki collects the dishes quietly, and the blizzard continues raging. It was dim the whole day, but with the sun set, Suki has to light a few lanterns for them to see by.</p><p class="p1">“Hm, should we call it a day?” she says, holding up a lantern.</p><p class="p1">“No, ‘m not tired,” Sokka rasps, even though he’s half-asleep on Zuko’s shoulder already.</p><p class="p1">“Forgive me if I don’t believe you. Zuko, did you bring anything else to keep us occupied?”</p><p class="p1">“Hm. I have a few new books.”</p><p class="p1">Suki pulls one out of a small red chest. “How about <em>The Bathhouse?</em>”</p><p class="p1">“Oh, that’s a good one.” Zuko had read it twice already.</p><p class="p1">“Alright, then. Don’t spoil it.” Suki sits by their heads, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, and cracks open the book. “<em>Chihiro was determined not to like her new home. It was a tiny town. Boring, in other words; Chihiro stuck her tongue out at it, so that it knew exactly what she thought of it. She missed her friends, and on top of it all, her goodbye-bouquet of flowers was wilting…</em>”</p><p class="p1">Suki’s voice is quiet, soft as velvet, interrupted only by the crackling of the fire. Between turning the pages, her hand flutters between Sokka’s head and Zuko’s, little brushes of her fingertips across Zuko’s forehead, Sokka’s nose. Miraculously, Sokka keeps his eyes at least a little open, listening to the story.</p><p class="p1">“…s<em>he peeked into the hot boiler room, and was greeted with a sight no less strange than the other ones she’d seen that night. Small black sprites worked diligently, tossing pebbles of coal into a furnace; they reminded Chihiro of ants at a picnic…</em>”</p><p class="p1">Zuko likes the sprites. They’re friendly, from the very beginning, not like the rest of the spirits. He always feels bad for the girl, so scared in the beginning, thrown into a world strange, unfamiliar, a little terrifying. He feels an odd kinship with her, even though Zuko had never seen a spirit in his life. <em>I’ll have to ask Aang if that’s what spirits are really like.</em></p><p class="p1">“…<em>Chihiro barely slept. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw those pigs, who couldn’t be her parents; it was just a terrible lie, it had to be. Haku’s voice, telling her to meet him at the bridge, was hushed, and then he was gone, like morning mist under the sun… </em>Sokka, drink some more tea.”</p><p class="p1">“But it’s cold now,” Sokka whines.</p><p class="p1">“Isn’t that what Zuko’s for?”</p><p class="p1">“I’m good for other things, too,” Zuko grumbles, but places his palm on the teapot to heat it up again anyways.</p><p class="p1">Sokka leans up to pour another cup, and takes a small sip.</p><p class="p1">“It’ll make you feel better,” Suki says encouragingly.</p><p class="p1">“I know, I know.”</p><p class="p1">“Will you keep reading please?” Zuko asks softly, and Sokka settles back down again. “It’s just starting to get good.” Sokka turns to the side, and Zuko does too, holding Sokka close.</p><p class="p1">Suki keeps going, and Zuko kisses the back of Sokka’s neck, gentle. He’s not bending heat through his skin anymore; the furs and blankets keep their body heat insulated well enough.</p><p class="p1">“<em>…and as the silt and crud filtered away, nuggets of gold glinted in the water. The spirit left the bathhouse in a rush, laughing, and the rest of the guests cheered. Yubaba squeezed Sen — no, her name was Chihiro, Chihiro, she had to remember to remember — in a monstrous hug, ecstatic, declaring, ‘Sake’s on the house tonight! But first, hand over all the gold you picked up.’</em>”</p><p class="p1">Suki’s eyes flick over to the two young men. Sokka’s drooling onto Zuko’s arm, and Zuko’s snoring softly, head pillowed against the furs. She dogears one of the pages — Zuko’s sure to gripe about that later — and shuts the book, setting it to the side.</p><p class="p1">“I think it’s time for bed.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko’s eyes flicker open, and he groans. “Come on, a little more.”</p><p class="p1">“You’re both asleep anyways.” Suki slides her hand under Zuko’s head and pushes it up gently. “Let’s go to sleep.”</p><p class="p1">They both gripe, but drag themselves and their bundle of furs to the bed, tumbling into it in a mass of limbs and blankets.</p><p class="p1">Suki kneels, crawling alongside Sokka. “Scoot over, both of you. You’re hogging all the covers.”</p><p class="p1">“I’m ill,” Sokka says, coughing melodramatically for effect.</p><p class="p1">“And <em>I’m</em> freezing, so give me some of those.” Suki pulls on one of the furs and tucks herself in, so that Suki and Zuko have got Sokka sandwiched between them.</p><p class="p1">“Love you guys,” Sokka mumbles, and Suki tucks her head against his chest, her leg sliding over Sokka’s. She feels someone’s cold toes, then feels them warm rapidly — <em>ah, Zuko’s. </em>It’s crowded, but it’s warm, and Sokka’s out like a light.</p><p class="p1">“Hey, Zuko,” Suki whispers, and Zuko picks his head up to squint at her from across Sokka’s chest. “Could you put out the lanterns? I don’t want to get up.”</p><p class="p1">Zuko sighs, but he flicks his hand, and the room is plunged into darkness. It’s easy to fall asleep, after that; the blizzard outside still rattles at the walls, but it can’t reach them, curled up together under the covers, safe, and warm.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one was pretty short but I just had to get the Suzukka fluff out of my system. Thanks for reading :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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